Overview

Comprehensive Description

Biology

Occur in medium to large-sized rivers and enters flooded fields (Ref. 12975). Found on solid surfaces in flowing waters. Mostly herbivorous, feed largely on algae, periphyton and phytoplankton, but also take insect larvae or zooplankton. In current, they hold onto fixed objects with their sucker-like mouth. For breathing, water is pumped into the gill cavity through a small spiracle and across the gills for gas exchange. Large fish are sold in the markets, smaller ones are used to make prahoc (Ref. 12693). Aquarium keeping: needs plant feed; adults territorial; in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 60 cm (Ref. 51539).

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Diagnostic Description

Has 9 branched dorsal rays; 36-40 lateral line scales; no dark spots on pelvic and anal fins (Ref. 27732); a small dark spot always present behind spiracle; sometimes tiny tubercles on side of head and large tubercles confined to snout (Ref. 12693).

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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

Inhabits flowing streams and tributaries with substrates of boulders, pebbles, gravel and sand, often in areas with submerged driftwood or tree roots (Rainboth 1996). It is thought to undergo seasonal migrations during which it can be found in deeper, more turbid water and is known to enter temporarily-inundated zones. Occurs in medium to large-sized rivers and enters flooded fields (Taki 1978). It is a good indicator of stream/river quality (C. Vidthayanon pers. comm. 2011).

ACACGCTGATTCTTCTCTACAAACCACAAAGACATTGGCACCCTCTACCTTGTATTTGGTGCCTGAGCCGGAATAGTAGGAACTGCTCTC---AGCCTCCTAATTCGAGCCGAACTTAGTCAGCCCGGATCGCTTCTTGGTGAT---GACCAAATTTACAACGTTATCGTTACCGCGCATGCTTTCGTAATGATTTTCTTTATAGTAATACCCATTCTCATTGGAGGATTTGGGAACTGACTCGTACCGCTAATG---ATCGGGGCCCCAGACATGGCATTCCCTCGAATAAACAATATGAGCTTCTGACTGCTCCCACCCTCATTCCTTTTACTACTGGCCTCCTCTGGAGTTGAAGCCGGAGCAGGAACAGGATGAACAGTTTATCCACCCCTTGCAGGTAACCTTGCTCACGCAGGAGCATCCGTAGATCTA---ACTATTTTCTCCCTACATCTGGCAGGTGTCTCATCAATTCTAGGGGCAATCAATTTCATCACTACAACTATCAACATAAAACCCCCTGCAATTTCTCAATACCAAACCCCTCTATTCGTCTGAGCCGTACTAGTAACAGCCGTCCTTCTTCTCCTCTCCCTACCCGTGCTAGCTGCC---GGAATTACAATACTTTTAACAGACCGAAACCTAAACACCACATTCTTTGACCCCGCCGGGGGAGGAGACCCAATCCTTTATCAACACCTGTTCTGATTCTTTGGCCATCCAGAAGTATACATTCTTATTTTACCCGGGTTTGGTATTATTTCACATGTCGTAGCCTACTACTCAGGTAAAAAA---GAACCATTCGGATACATGGGCATGGTCTGAGCCATAATGGCTATCGGACTTCTAGGGTTCATCGTATGAGCCCATCATATGTTTACTGTTGGAATAGACGTAGACACCCGTGCATACTTCACATCTGCCACAATAATCATTGCCATTCCCACAGGAGTAAAAGTATTCAGCTGACTA---GCCACACTTCATGGGGGC---TCAATTAAATGAGAGACACCTATGCTGTGAGCCCTGGGATTTATTTTCCTATTTACAGTGGGTGGACTAACAGGAATTGTCCTAGCCAACTCATCCCTCGACATTGTTCTCCACGACACATACTATGTAGTTGCACACTTCCACTATGTT---CTATCAATGGGTGCCGTATTTGCAATTATAGCAGCCTTCGTACACTGATTCCCCTTATTTACAGGATACACCCTCCATAGCACTTGAACAAAAATCCACTTTGGGGTAATGTTCGTAGGCGTAAATCTTACCTTTTTCCCGCAACACTTCCTAGGCCTAGCAGGAATACCACGA---CGATATTCCGACTACCCAGACGCCTACGCC---CTATGAAATACAGTTTCTTCTATCGGATCACTTATCTCGCTAGTAGCCGTAATCATGTTCCTCTTTATCCTATGAGAGGCTTTCGCTGCAAAACGAGAAGTA---CTGTCAGTAGAACTAACAATAACAAAC-- end --

IUCN Red List Assessment

The species has a wide distribution from southern China and southeast Asia (Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Viet Nam). Populations have declined in some parts of its range (e.g., Thailand) as a result of over-exploitation. Although considered threatened in China and Viet Nam, and perhaps naturally rare, it is assessed as Least Concern at present as it is not thought likely to have declined sufficiently across its range in order to qualify for a threatened category.

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Trends

Population

It is naturally rare/uncommon in China and southern Viet Nam (Mekong delta areas), but is locally common in Viet Nam's Mekong tributaries (the Se San and Sre Pok) and the Chao Phraya-Mae Khlong basin and the Tonle Sap basin. Populations in Thailand have declined; it was an important component of fish sauce (nam pla) in Thailand, but stocks are now insufficient for that purpose.

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Threats

Although the species may be impacted by dams, not enough is known about its migratory habits to predict the scale of impacts. Populations have declined locally, especially in Thailand, as a result of a range if factors, including over-exploitation.

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Management

Conservation Actions

More information on the species ecology, threats and distribution is required. Listed as a protected animal in Yunnan Province in 1989 and considered Endangered (Wang 1998), and considered rare in Viet Nam (Huynh 1998).

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Wikipedia

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a freshwater fish native to large parts of Southeast Asia.[1] It is of interest as a local food source and for the aquarium trade, being first imported into Germany in 1956.[2] Commonly referred to as the Honey Sucker, Sucking 'Loach' [3] and "Chinese Algae Eater" in the aquarium hobby.

G. aymonieri has been recorded as reaching at least 28 cm (11.02 in) SL and is the only species in the genus to have 9 branched dorsal rays and 36-40 lateral line scales.[1] The mouth is inferior with a special "sucker" modification which allows the fish to attach itself to smooth surfaces. No barbels are present.[6]

Wild type colour varies from pale grey to olive, with darker markings along the lateral line which vary from a solid stripe with alternating higher and lower extensions to uneven dots. The belly is usually paler than the base colour. Some darker markings may also be observed along the back and on the caudal fin, but no dark markings occur on the pelvic and anal fins.[1]

The species does not breed readily in home aquaria, although fry are occasionally reported as being found in overgrown aquaria.[7] At this time, no definitive spawning triggers are known. Sexing is difficult, although mature males may develop breeding tubercles on their noses, while females become plumper.[8]

G. aymonieri fish are often bought as algae eaters because they will readily eat algae when young, but with age, their preference changes towards meatier foods, such as prepared aquarium foods, frozen crustaceans and small fish. This change is also reflected in behaviour, which becomes aggressive with age, especially so towards others of their own kind and fish with similar colors.[9]